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Learning and Sharing  -->  Health  --> Eat the Rainbow  

3. EAT the RAINBOW.

The American Cancer Society considers a well-balanced diet to be “primary cancer protection,”  and reminds us that “prevention remains the best solution.”  Not surprisingly, while research shows a proper diet discourages malignancy, improper diet is strongly linked to at least gastrointestinal and reproductive cancers.  Studies have shown that diet and nutrition are factors in fully 60 percent of cancers in women and 40 percent of cancers in men.  While “diet can be a weapon” in cancer prevention, most American’s simply aren’t using it.  Instead, the average American’s eating habits---too much fat, sugar and beef, and not enough whole grains, fruits and vegetables, confounds and confuses our bodies, creating toxins and sidelining the systems meant to get rid of them.     

With vegetables and fruits, eating at least “Five to Thrive” ˝-cup servings daily is the best recipe now known for good health.  Brighter is better in making selections, with deep green, yellow, orange, red and purple proclaiming the presence of distinct “phytonutrients” that energize immune systems, detoxify pollutants and bodily byproducts, regulate hormone levels and fight infections.

Most Americans need twice the amount of fruits and vegetables they usually eat, and could dramatically reduce their risk of diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure and cancers of the lung, mouth, throat, stomach, intestinal tract, breast, pancreas, ovaries and bladder just by adding a few more vegetables and fruits to their diet.  In fact, an expert report, Food, Nutrition and the Prevention of Cancer: a Global Perspective, reviewed over 4,500 world-wide research studies and found that if people increased their fruit and vegetable consumption to at least five ˝-cup servings a day, cancer rates could be reduced by more than 20 percent. Added fruits and vegetables (some believe seven or eight ˝-cup servings is more appropriate) would be expected to reduce cancer up to one-third. (Cessation of smoking is the other key cancer reduction factor.) 		 
Variety in vegetable and fruit choices (“Five a Day the Color Way”) is vital to getting all nutrients needed for optimum health. All vegetables and most fruits are good choices, but a few stand out for their powerful health-preserving/disease-preventing powers. These include blueberries, garlic, carrots, cabbage, onions, Brussels sprouts, mangos, ginger, citrus, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, peppers, spinach, squash, sweet potatoes, yams, parsley, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, cherries, red grapes, pineapple, cilantro, pink grapefruit, red apples, pumpkin, apricots, pears, tangerines, avocados and mushrooms (of the shiitake, maitake, crimini, portobello and reishe varieties). For more on fruit and vegetable all stars, see ________

Most of the nutrients in vegetables and fruits can be absorbed only in the presence of fats, so eating an apple with a few roasted almonds, carrot sticks with a low-fat sour cream or yogurt dip, or making certain salads include some fat (avocado, egg, seeds, nuts or dressing) all are good choices. For ways to work toward five a day, visit http://5aday.gov/9aday/what.html For free recipes highlighting fresh vegetables, fruits and grains, see Whole Foods or Bon Appetit.